What Is Cowboy Coffee And How To Make It

Cowboy coffee isn’t really a recipe, it’s more of a method to make coffee that was popular with cowboys on the trail. It is basically boiling coffee grounds to “brew” coffee over a campfire. Over time, cowboy coffee has become popular with campers in the wilderness and some use the name “camp coffee” to refer to “cowboy coffee”. Here’s how to make it and other tips for making great camp coffee! Psst we’re compensated…see our disclosures.

How To Make Traditional Cowboy Coffee

Add coffee grounds to a pot of water (about 1 Tablespoon per cup of coffee)

Bring it to a boil (usually over a campfire)

Continue boiling for a few minutes

Remove the cowboy coffee from the heat

Add some cold water (a few Tablespoons for a standard size pot) to the pot to make the coffee grounds settle to the bottom of the pot

Serve it; pour yourself a stiff cup of cowboy coffee

Why Cowboy Coffee Tastes Terrible

Boiling coffee grounds makes them bitter and the result is a less-than-desirable cup of joe. Here are a few tips to improve the traditional method of making cowboy coffee.

The Improved Method To Make Cowboy Coffee – Camping For Foodies .com

The Improved Method To Make Cowboy Coffee

Bring a pot of water to a boil (usually over a campfire)

Remove the pot from the heat and let cool slightly

Add your favorite coffee grounds (about 2 Tablespoons per 8 ounce cup of coffee) to the hot water and give it a quick stir

Let stand for 5 minutes

Stir a bit more and allow to sit for an additional 2 minutes

Gently pour the coffee into your mug being careful not pour the grounds into your mug. You can also pour the coffee through a straining device to avoid any grounds from making it into your coffee mug.

Note: If the grounds sit in the pot for a long time, the coffee will be over-extracted and begin to have an undesirable taste. So, if you are planning to sip your way through an entire morning, you may want to transfer the coffee into a thermos to keep if fresher for longer.

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Tips For Making Great Camp Coffee – Camping For Foodies .com

Tips For Making Great Camp Coffee

If you are less interested in the cowboy coffee method and you just want a really good cup of camp coffee out in the wilderness … here are a few other options for making great coffee that will rival your favorite coffeehouse while you are escaping city life and exploring the great outdoors!Coleman QuikPot Propane Coffeemaker

If you are brewing camp coffee for the entire family, the Coleman QuikPot Propane Coffeemaker is great because it has push-button Instastart™ ignition for matchless lighting. You’ll have your 10-cup glass carafe filled with fresh coffee in 18 minutes! It lasts up to 4.5 hours on high using a 16.4-oz. propane cylinder (which you have to buy separately), and it even has a Carry Case too!

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Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker
Another option for doing a whole pot of coffee is to use a Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker. For this method you add your coffee to the french press and in a separate pot boil the water. Then let the water cool just a bit before pouring it into the press, stir vigorously then let it steep for about five minutes. Now, press the plunger all the way to the bottom of the press and pour yourself a fresh cup of java! Just like the cowboy coffee method, if you are not going to drink all of the coffee immediately, pour it into athermos to keep it from turning bitter .

The most traditional gadget for making an entire pot of camp coffee is to use an Enameled Steel Percolator Coffee Pot. It brews 8 cups and the clear top allows you to see how dark the coffee is during the percolation process. We like our coffee strong so we let it get pretty dark … just remember to reduce the heat as soon as the water starts boiling so your grounds don’t overflow.

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Single Serving Camp Coffee Gadgets

If you are the only coffee drinker in your group or you just prefer to brew each cup of camp coffee individually, drippers are the way to go! Here are a couple of options.Collapsible Coffee Dripper

Whether you are RVing or backpacking, storage space can be a challenge so using a Collapsible Coffee Dripper might be perfect for your situation.

Cowboy Coffee Books

A Taste of Cowboy: Ranch Recipes and Tales from the Trail. Kent Rollins is a real cowboy well known for his cooking, poetry and storytelling. He’s been a TV contestant and even beat Bobby Flay on the Food Network with his version of chicken-fried steak! His book features secrets for Egg Bowls with Smoked Cream Sauce, Green Pepper Frito Pie, Sweet Heat Chopped Barbecue Sandwiches, Roasted Bean-Stuffed Poblano Peppers and Bread Pudding with Whisky Cream Sauce!

Kim Hanna

Kim Hanna is the creator of Camping For Foodies®. On her blog, http://www.CampingForFoodies.com, she shares her passion for camping, hiking and cooking as well as living a balanced yet dream-pursuing life. Kim has appeared on several local TV networks, in magazines and at live special events as the ‘Modern Society Weekend Escape Expert’ she has become…inspiring others to unplug from their hectic lives one camp recipe at a time. She believes many adults are so consumed with their 24/7 connected lives that they don’t take time to enjoy nature and live in the moment. Kim gladly issues “permission slips” to adults who request them! She is a contributor to AZ Outdoor Magazine and has her own cooking segment on the Great Food Good Neighbors TV show. Kim is a Christian and lives in Phoenix with her husband and two cats.

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